Guide to Metals, Steel and Alloys in Oil & Gas Industry

Metals represent more than 60% of Oil & Gas industry spending and present almost in every step of the industry value chain. There are a number of different types of metals used in the Oil & Gas industry. Here is a quick guide and all-you-need-to-know summary.

STAINLESS STEEL

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Type of iron steel with at least 10.5% of chromium that create a layer commonly called “passive layer” to provide protection against corrosion. Other metals, such as nickel and molybdenum might be present, to enhance corrosion-resistance properties.

Flowlines

Structural Components

Umbilicals

Heat Exchangers

Process Equipment

Kitchen Appliance & catering equipment ( biggest users)

Construction & Building

Transport

China

Asia

EU

Outokumpu

POSCO

Shanxi TISCO

YUSCO

Baosteel

DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Steel material consisting of Austenitic (most common stainless steel) and Ferritic (magnetic stainless steel with less than 0.10% of carbon) dual microstructure. Duplex stainless steel is very strong with high corrosion resistance and stress corrosion cracking properties. Duplex stainless steel has less nickel and molybdenum than other alloys with corrosion resistance properties. Hence, it could be a better alternative at times of high prices for nickel and chrome. In addition, Duplex Stainless Steel is more price stable.

OCTG

Storage Tanks & Pressure Vessels (due to reduced weight of steel)

Petrochemicals

Bridges

Swimming pools

Storage & Transportation

Desalination plants

Various

Outokumpu

Sandvick

JFE Steel

CARBON STEEL

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Iron steel with less than 2 % of carbon content and a small composition of manganese, phosphorus, sulfur and silicon. Carbon steel is known to be very strong with high resistance to wearing, and the most produced material of all steel types. The higher the carbon content, the harder it is to weld and machine it. Carbon steel could be Low, Medium, High and Very High. All carbon steel is susceptible to corrosion. Chemical additives and coating help to control corrosion.

The most widely used in the Oil and Gas industry. Applications include:

Nickel, chromium, molybdenum or carbon containing steel. It is also known as special bar quality (SBQ) steel. Mainly used where, moving parts with safety / reliability risks

Completion Equipment

Shafts, Bearings

Drill Bits

Automotive Parts

Hand Tools

Shafts & Valves

Industrial Machinery

China

Japan

EU

Citic

NSSMC

Timken Steel

Gerdau

Saarstahl

JFE

NICKEL ( scarce & declining resource metal)

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Mainly used as an additional component to produce corrosion resistant alloys.

Wellheads, X-mass Trees

Subsea Equipment

Valves & Fittings

OCTG

Down-hole Equipment & Tools

Completion equipment

LNG & Natural Gas Processing Plants

Higher grade stainless steel and many exotic alloys in various industries

Rechargeable batteries

Philippines (~14%)

Russia (~11%)

Indonesia (~10%)

Canada (~10%)

Australia (~9%)

Norilsk Nickel- Russia

Vale - Brazil

BHP Billiton - Australia

CHROMIUM ( scarce & declining resource metal)

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Used to produce stainless steel and corrosion resistant alloys.Usage of chromium for the last several years increased significantly. There are various grades of chromium based steel products and could range from Cr13 till Cr35.

Wellheads, X-mass Trees

Valves & Fittings

OCTG

Down-hole Equipment & Tools

Completion Equipment

LNG & Natural Gas Processing Plants

Higher grade stainless steel and many exotic alloys in various industries

Widely used as a catalyst in petrochemical industry

South Africa (~52%)

Kazakhstan (~14%)

India (~10%)

Turkey (~8%)

Assore

Lonmin

Anglo American

Impala Platinum

Glencore

Aquarius Platinum

Mechel

Kazchrome

MOLYBDENUM ( Moly)

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Added to steel in order to increase strength of steel, enhance corrosion resistance qualities and ensure that steel can be used in extremely high temperature environments.

OCTG

Down-hole tools

Drill bits

Catalyst in petrochemical industry

Oil & Gas and petrochemical industries are major users of molybdenum.

Engineering & Stainless steel

China (~37%)

USA (~25%)

Chile (~13%)

Peru (~7%)

Freeport MnMoran

Codelco

Southern Copper

China Molybdenum

Thompson Creek Metals

Jinduicheng Molybdenum

Yichun Luming Molybdenum

INCONEL

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Inconel alloy is a corrosion resistant super alloy and is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation (PCC Energy Group).Inconel is a nickel ( up to 70%) -chromium ( up to 24%) based alloy that used in high temperature, corrosion and pitting environments, acid applications, exposure to high mechanical stress and sea water.

There are a number of various grades of Inconel, but common grades in the Oil & Gas industry are 718, 628, 625,825, and 945.

Inconel alloys are very hard to machine and weld. Machining of forged Inconel is even more time consuming process.

Chemical Processing Equipment

Components of gas turbines,

Valves

Completion Equipment

Drilling Tools

MWD / LWD components

Flare booms

Wellhead Components (hangers)

Wind Turbine Blades

Rocket & Space Craft Engines

Critical components in the nuclear industry equipment

INCOLOY

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Incoloy alloy is a corrosion resistant super alloy and is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation (PCC Energy Group)Incoloy is a more cost effective alternative to Inconel, as it has higher composition of ferrous (iron). Incoloy alloys are best suited for sour gas, high chloride, process piping and aqueous environments, such as seawater and brine.

Incoloy 945 and 945X as the most recently developed alloys and are known to be one of the best corrosion resistance alloys available and used in Oil & Gas Industry only.

Completion Equipment

Packers

Drilling Tools

MWD / LWD components

Liquid / fluids separators

Chemicals Industry

Acids Vessels, Tanks & Pipelines

MONEL

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Monel is a corrosion resistant super alloy and is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation (PCC Energy Group).

Monel is a nickel (avr 60%) and cooper (avr 30%) based alloy and used in many applications. Common grades in the Oil & Gas Industry are K500 and 400.

Monel K500 is used in completion equipment with high corrosion resistance and higher strength requirements.

Pumps & Valves

Heat Exchangers

Electrical Components

Down-hole Equipment & tools

Aerospace

Marine

Musical Instruments

HASTELLOY

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Hastelloy is a corrosion / oxidation and erosion resistant nickel-molybdenum alloy produced by Haynes International Inc. In addition, Hastelloy has high mechanical strength, in particular at high temperatures.

Hastelloy is a member of supper alloys, of which Incoloy is a member as well. Although there are several common characteristics shared between two alloys, yet there are differences that are worth to be aware of such as weldability and suitability for various applications.

There are several types of Hastelloy, such as HastelloyB2, HastelloyS, HastelloyC, HastelloyW, HastelloyC276, HastelloyX and HastelloyN and all have its own applications with some degree of commonality.

Peteochemical is a major user of Hastelloy in the Oil & Gas Industry.

Pumps & Valves

Heat Exchangers

Pressure Vessels

Aerospace

Nuclear

Chemical Processing

TITANIUM

Description

Oil & Gas Applications

Other Applications

Major Producers

Major Companies

Titanium is very light but strong metal with high corrosion-resistant qualities